


Rusty

by Camellianswer



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Combat, Gen, Maverick Hunters, Reploid, Training, X7, axl wants attention, read it, reploids, room, uhhh, x is a pacifistic edgeboi, zero is worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 23:58:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18974929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camellianswer/pseuds/Camellianswer
Summary: Zero insisted on giving Axl some pointers before heading out into the fray. X joins them to brush up on his combat skills. His time in peace softened him, and caused other changes that Zero was now painfully aware of…





	Rusty

“Wait, training? I thought we had to—”

“Don’t think. Just do as I say.” Zero turned to Axl briefly, a tinge of annoyance in his eyes. “I don’t care how good you were in that vigilante group – Hunters do things differently. And I’m not getting partnered with someone until I get a look at their capabilities. So, let’s go.”

Axl obeyed, following Zero down the hall and into a spacious training room. It was outfitted with numerous obstacles, climbing hooks and targets.

Looking around at the place, it took Axl a moment to notice that there was somebody else in the room.

The legendary Reploid X stood in front of the furthest target, firing his buster at the target. Most of his shots were missing the mark, however.

Some of Zero’s stern manner fell away as he saw his friend. “Hey, X. How’s it going over there?”

X turned to him – seemed to stiffen slightly upon seeing Axl – and replied in an even tone “Practicing. It’s been too long since I used this – I need to get used to it again before heading out.” With that, he turned back to the target and tried firing. The red-hot plasma bolt missed the center by a good 5 inches.

Something about X’s voice irritated Zero, but he shook the fleeting sensation off. He led Axl to another position in front of a target. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Axl was only too eager to do so. He drew his iconic pistol – thank goodness Zero had returned it to him – and scored bullseyes on all three boards.

When he looked back to his longtime hero, he realized that Zero hadn’t been watching. The crimson Hunter’s attention was on X again. X kept missing the target, making adjustments to his arm and then trying again.

“Getting kinda rusty there, huh X?” Zero needled in a friendly tone.

“Maybe.”

“How about I show you how it’s done?” Zero seemed to be in a better mood. He held a hand out, gesturing for Axl to hand over the pistol, and took confident aim at the target with X looking on.

To his chagrin, all four shots went wide, scorching holes in the wall around the red circle. He lowered the gun and shook his head with a sheepish smile. “Well. That was a surprise.” Handing the gun back to Axl, he took a look at X and was again disappointed.

No, not disappointed…

Worried.

X viewed Zero’s blunder with the detached coolness of a simulation grader. Neither deriding Zero nor offering him a sympathetic smile. He simply looked on him with cold eyes, and then returned to his own training without a word.

He should have laughed. He should have mentioned that Zero had been hopeless with firearms ever since he got his hands on that saber. He should have shrugged and made a joke. Encouraged him to do better.

Just SOMETHING.

But he did absolutely nothing.

That silence really got under Zero’s skin. Scowling in frustration, he tried to push away his troubling thoughts.

Tried, but failed.

It hadn’t been that long but…X seemed like a whole different person.

He hated it.

What had happened to X while he was away?


End file.
